By Sharon go  (c) 2001

Flame-Dancer wandered into the den to find the elves and wolves of the Holt gathering for their first howl. One male stood out. Snow's white hair and pink eyes marked him as unique among the people. For a fleeting moment; he looked very alone, and a bit unsure.
Flame did not know Snow very well. Their tribal duties had usually taken them along different paths. She did remember how cruel the elves had been to him. They never could see the spirit inside the trappings of albinoism. Some had hated and feared him for his differences. The kinder ones had believed that the pink eyes were caused by blindness and wanted no part of a cripple. Regardless of the reason, Snow had found himself shunned and rejected. Only his uncle, Chief Quickthurst had seen into the child's soul. He took the child into his den and raised him in the way of the pack. In teaching the child leadership skills, Quickthrust found the son of his spirit.
Now Quickthrust was dead. This holt were the survivors of terrible losses at the hands of the humans. Quickthrust was survived by Snow. It was Snow's right, and duty to take his uncle's place as their Chief. 
Snow's fleeting uncertainty was erased when Newsky entered the den looking self-conscious, and lost. Some of the tension seemed to go out of him, and a calm resolved settled on him.
He stood before us and donned the mantle of pack leader. He set down his right to claim the chieftain's place, and asked for each individual's support. Snow's quiet dignity and his attention to the needs of the people won my respect. I pledged my willingness to follow him where ever he lead. Silverstreak went forward to greet the new Chief, and howl a tribute.
With some amusement, Flame watched a slightly dazed expression settle on Snow's face. It was as though he couldn't believe that we agreed to his leadership. It is his by right, he is Quickthrust's nephew and been raised to be a leader. He is far more than simply a nephew, he was Quickthrust's spirit son.
Once he'd learned there were no objections to his stepping up as Chief, he'd adopted Newsky as his sister. He found elves to fill the needs of the Holt. Advisors, story tellers, muscians, tree-shapers; and of course dreamberry keepers. 
Flame felt more secure knowing that some planning for the future was going on. Snow was looking at the needs of the now, and planning to meet them for the good of the Holt. Flame-Dancer had a hard time living in the Now, it was a scarey place. It seemed like her entire world turned upside down almost overnight. Her parents killed by Humans. Her brother and his recognized mate missing. She thanked the Highones that she found her sister, Sweetflute. Snow had stepped forward and was trying to create a home, a future for the poeples of the Holt. She felt safer, knowing that there would be a future beyond the Now.